Page 63 of Backup Plan

Her jaw drops, and she gasps again, but…where’s the lie?

“He doesn’t mean anything bad by it,” Penny says, stepping in. “And you know I would love to work with you. It’s just not good timing right now with not having a permanent place to live and being in flux…my job is like my one normal lifeline right now, you know?”

She huffs a little, and then we’re at Penny’s car.

“DeeDee’s for brunch?” Penny asks.

Everleigh nods, and she points at me. “This isn’t over.”

I smirk at her. “Yeah, it is.”

We get in the car, and Penny lets out a soft breath.

“Sorry if I overstepped,” I say.

She shakes her head. “No, you were fine. I was trying to be diplomatic. I love Ev, but I don’t want to work for her. I’m afraid it would ruin our friendship, and I can’t afford that.”

It feels a bit like her words are lined with caution.

“You’re worried about what’s going on between us ruining your friendship, too, aren’t you?” I ask softly, reaching over to grab her hand.

She clears her throat. “Yes.” Her voice is candid and quiet.

“Then we keep it between us. And Madden, since he caught us.”

“And Kennedy, and who knows who they told? It’s spiraling, Liam, and it’s still so…”

“New,” I finish.

“Delicate,” she adds.

I squeeze her hand. “Yeah. I kind of like coming home to you and the boys, though. I like that you’re there.”

“I like it, too,” she whispers. “And I don’t know what we’re going to do when you move to San Diego.”

“I wish you could come with me,” I blurt.

She looks surprised when her eyes move over to me. “What?”

“Come with me.”

“You know I can’t. Brent—”

“Fuck that guy. He couldn’t even be bothered to show up for this kindergarten promotion. Come stay with me, or by me, and we’ll figure this thing out together. Give us time to explore it.”

She frowns. “Liam, I…” She pauses, and then she sighs. “I think we’ll just have to explore long-distance for now. But I completely understand if you don’t want to wait around. We’re just having fun and screwing around, right? It’s not like it’s serious or anything.”

I clench my jaw, and I glance over at her even though I should be keeping my eyes on the road. As I speak, I return my attention where it needs to be, afraid to look at her while I say this. “I realize you’re not divorced yet, and you have kids, and you’re Ev’s best friend. I realize it’s complicated. But labeling what we’re doing as just having fun and screwing around feels inaccurate, Pen. It’s fine if that’s all it is to you, but I have to be honest when I say it’s starting to become a hell of a lot more than that for me.”

I pull into the parking lot, and I watch as Everleigh walks into the building and the doors close behind her.

I put the car in park, and I finally glance over at Penny only to see a tear rolling down her cheek.

“What’s wrong?” I ask softly as I thumb away the tear.

“I keep trying to convince myself that this is nothing, keep trying to deny what I really feel. I thought you’d just agree with me. I didn’t know you felt so strongly. It’s too complicated. Too hard.”

I thumb away a second tear that follows in the first one’s path. “Sometimes the best things in life are too hard, and we’re so scared of taking the leap that we never know what’s waiting on the other side.”